What is a Texas DPS Surcharge?

Annual Surcharges for Certain Convictions

If you have been convicted of a DWI, you will be asked to pay surcharges on top of court fines and fees. The surcharges can vary and it depends on the convicted crime. Texas DPS will assess the surcharge yearly for 3 years. These surcharges go towards trauma centers and are billed as a way to encourage safer driving.

If you are facing a Texas DPS surcharge in Houston and have questions, contact Tyler Flood & Associates today. Our sole focus is on Houston DWI law. We understand the complexities that go behind the Houston DPS surcharge system, and we are here to help you successfully navigate it.

What are the Texas DPS Surcharges?

The Texas DPS surcharge payment in Houston varies depending on the crime you are convicted of. These surcharge fees are yearly and do not include other fees. Texas DPS outsources their surcharge collection. Along with the surcharges themselves, you’ll generally be asked to pay service fees among others. For example, if you are convicted of your first DWI, you’ll be asked to pay $1,000 per year for 3 years as well as around $120 in service fees and a $90 installment plan fee for a total of $3,210. A breakdown of the Houston DPS surcharge is below.

What Are the Penalties for Not Paying the Texas DPS Surcharge?

It is imperative to pay your Texas DPS surcharges in Houston. Missing a payment on your surcharge can result in automatic license suspension and further fines, fees, and surcharges. There are also options for payment installments, lending flexibility to those that need it. All notices of a Houston DPS surcharge will go to the available address on file with the Texas DPS. Make sure that your info is up–to–date or you are able to access your potential correspondence with Texas DPS as to not miss a payment.

Amount Reduced: Reduced to 10% of the total surcharge not to exceed $250 (excluding service fees)/Reduced by 50% of total surcharge (excluding service fees)

If you do get your surcharge reduced, you must pay off the entire balance within 6 months. Failure to pay the entire amount will result in license suspension until the amount is paid off. The reduced rate will not go up. The Houston DPS surcharge landscape is complex.

Occupational Driver’s License

Potentially, if you are facing license suspension and Houston DPS surcharges, you will still need to go to work. You can apply for a special type of restricted license called an occupational drivers license. Even if you have yet to pay your Texas DWI surcharge in Houston or your license is currently suspended, you may be eligible for an occupational license. You can obtain this license for driving non–commercial vehicles as long as you need to a vehicle to go to work, school–related activities, or need to perform essential household duties.

You can obtain a license with the help of Tyler Flood and Associates! We can help you get back on the road and help you continue your life. Our lawyers understand the difficulties you may face during this trying time in your life. Whether you are facing a Texas DPS surcharge in Houston, difficulty obtaining an occupational driver’s license, or facing a DWI conviction in Houston, allow Tyler Flood & Associates, your Houston DWI lawyers, to help you. Our aggressive DWI defense can protect your freedom! Call us today for a free consultation.

How Points Work

DPS will assess a surcharge when the driver accumulates a total of six
points or more on their record during a three-year period. The driver
must pay a $100 surcharge for the first six points and $25 for each additional point.

Featured Stories:

In a newly obtained video, a Houston Police officer is seen balling his fist, punching a woman in the face and slamming her to the floor of a drunk-tank cell after she swung her elbow at the officer while questioning the no-refusal blood test.

The Harris County District Attorney's Office is forced to throw out more than 140 cases so far after it was discovered over 21,000 pieces of evidence was destroyed by the Precinct 4 Constable's Office.

There are over 1,000 cases under review because of the misuse of evidence. While 142 have been dismissed thus far, there has been a high number of cases in which evidence has been destroyed - most of the cases involving drug crimes.